Latest news with #UberGreen
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Standard
BluSmart drivers look to join other platforms, but struggle with costs
Investors, competitors, and buyout firms are lining up to take over the electric vehicles leased by cab-hailing company BluSmart, but it is the drivers who are still getting the short end of the stick. A majority of BluSmart drivers, who were left in limbo after the electric cab-hailing company halted operations last month, are now queuing up at Evera and Everest Fleet — a major fleet partner for Uber — in hopes of finding work. However, entry barriers, such as daily rentals and security deposits, have left many of them stranded, deepening their financial distress. Several drivers told Business Standard they were asked to pay security deposits ranging from Rs 5,180 to Rs 20,180, in addition to daily rentals of Rs 300 to Rs 1,050. Sanjay Sagar, who joined BluSmart in 2022, said he recently enquired about job opportunities at Everest Fleet. He mentioned that for Uber Green, the electric vehicle (EV) cab service of the platform, the company asked for a security amount of Rs 3,500 and a daily rent of nearly Rs 1,450. "If we assume that the company gives us work of Rs 3,000, there is still not enough left for us. We can not work for 14-16 hours a day to earn more. In addition, several rides are low-cost (maybe between Rs 100-200), you may spend 8-9 hours and earn only Rs 1,400, which you need to give to the company as rent," Sagar pointed out. For Uber Black, the premium car service option from Uber, Everest Fleet currently gives a monthly payout of Rs 25,000 to the drivers, and initially charges Rs 1,000 for creating an ID and for documentation purposes, Sagar said. However, he added that the waiting time for securing these cars is up to a month as the company may be running out of stock. Siddharth Ladsariya, founder and chief executive officer at Everest Fleet, agreed that BluSmart drivers have been queueing up. To address this influx, the company has come up with a new model where they are not taking any deposits but are hiring drivers on a salary basis. "At Everest Fleet, drivers can choose between fixed or variable compensation models. The fixed payout model offers a base salary along with incentives and accommodation, while the variable model allows drivers to retain additional earnings, which vary depending on the car model and include charging costs," he said, adding that many drivers have opted for the variable model. Everest Fleet, to date, has onboarded over 350 BluSmart drivers across Delhi's National Capital Region (NCR), Mumbai, and Bengaluru. "We operate a fleet of over 20,000 cars. Bengaluru alone accounts for around 11,000 vehicles, giving us significant capacity to absorb more drivers," Ladsariya said. Apart from Everest Fleet, EV cab-hailing firm Evera is also hiring BluSmart drivers. "We have hired about 150 drivers and may need 150-200 more. Evera is paying a fixed amount of Rs 200 per trip to the drivers," a company executive said. But drivers continue to face challenges while trying to join any other platform. Echoing Sagar's thoughts, Rashmi (name changed), a woman driver, said, "The rent per day for Uber Green is around Rs 1,400. We also give a security amount. However, the amount is only refundable if we work for at least three months. What if I am unable to continuously work? The security amount will be lost."
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Next stop for BluSmart's electric vehicles could be Everest Fleet
Everest Fleet, one of the largest fleet partners in India for cab-hailing firm Uber, is in discussions with some lenders to take possession of cars previously operated by the now-defunct cab booking service BluSmart. While the final number of electric vehicles (EVs) to be procured is yet to be determined, the company said the decision will depend on the quality and pricing of the available fleet. Once the possession is complete, all cars will run under Uber Green, the platform's dedicated EV cab service. 'We are talking about it. We are engaging with a few lenders of BluSmart for their cars, but we have not closed the deal. There are a lot of small lenders and big ones. So, all of them have approached us in various forms,' said Siddharth Ladsariya, founder and chief executive officer of Everest Fleet. On the company's intake capacity, Ladsariya said, 'We can absorb quite a few, but the pricing should be right. We have not decided on the quantum yet.' The development comes a week after Delhi-based electric cab service firm Evera Cabs said it has started the process of onboarding 500 EVs, which were earlier running on BluSmart. However, unlike Evera Cabs, which has taken these cars on lease, Everest Fleet plans to purchase the assets. Everest Fleet currently has a fleet size of 20,500 cars, of which nearly 2,000 are EVs. The additional vehicles it plans to acquire will be integrated into Uber. Earlier, as part of the plan to revive operations at BluSmart, Uber was reportedly in talks with the beleaguered cab-hailing firm. Under this plan, BluSmart was supposed to act as a fleet partner for the company; however, the talks never materialised, according to media reports. Uber is also an investor in Everest Fleet. According to data from the market intelligence platform Tracxn, in September 2024, Uber invested $30 million in a Series C round and made another investment earlier in May 2023 in a Series B round. 'Uber invested in two rounds. In the last round, it invested $30 million, and in the round before that, it invested $10 million,' Ladsariya added.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Everest Fleet in talks with BluSmart lenders to acquire electric cabs
Everest Fleet plans to purchase BluSmart EVs and integrate them under Uber Green; talks underway with multiple lenders; decision based on pricing and quality Premium New Delhi Listen to This Article Everest Fleet, one of the largest fleet partners in India for cab-hailing firm Uber, is in discussions with some lenders to take possession of cars previously operated by the now-defunct cab booking service BluSmart. While the final number of electric vehicles (EVs) to be procured is yet to be determined, the company said the decision will depend on the quality and pricing of the available fleet. Once possession is complete, all the cars will operate under Uber Green, the platform's dedicated electric vehicle (EV) cab service. 'We are talking about it. We are engaging with a few lenders of BluSmart
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Uber to miss electric car target after Sadiq Khan congestion charge blow
Uber will miss a target to eliminate petrol cars from London as Sadiq Khan imposes the congestion charge on electric vehicles (EVs). The minicab app said in 2018 that all its drivers in the capital would drive electric cars by the end of 2025. However, its plans have been set back by London transport officials imposing the congestion charge on EVs, which has made drivers reluctant to switch. It is now unlikely to hit the goal. Uber said that just 40pc of miles covered in London were travelled by electric cars. While this has doubled since 2023, it means the company's goal of only having electric cars on the road by the end of the year are expected to be out of reach. Mr Khan confirmed last year that EVs – which currently exempt from the £15 daily congestion charge – will have to pay the fee after Christmas Day 2025. The charge could add up to more than £5,000 a year if paid every day. Uber said that 'the exemption for EVs from the congestion charge has been instrumental in making EVs attractive for drivers'. The company does not own its minicabs, meaning drivers must be encouraged to invest in new cars for Uber to hit its goals. Escaping the congestion charge has been seen as one of the major benefits of driving EVs for drivers in London, encouraging them to switch from petrol and diesel. Rising electricity prices, which have made public charging significantly more expensive, have also discouraged drivers from switching. While London has led the company's move to electric cars, it is still far from the target of being fully electric by the end of the year. It is understood that the company will not kick drivers off the app for using petrol vehicles. 'London is a global leader in electric vehicle adoption thanks to bold policies from the Mayor of London,' an Uber spokesman said. 'We have made huge progress in recent years towards our goals and remain committed to continuing that momentum, but we know we cannot achieve it alone. 'The exemption for EVs from the congestion charge has been instrumental in making EVs attractive for drivers and we want to work constructively on a solution that maintains London's progress in switching to fully electric vehicles.' Uber has more than 45,000 drivers in London. The company has unveiled a series of incentives designed to encourage drivers to switch to electric cars, including a 15p per mile 'clean air fee' that raised funds to subsidise EV purchases. More recently, drivers have urged more by completing EV-only 'Uber Green' trips and the company has made electric car trips cheaper than petrol ones in some cases, and redesigned its app to accommodate EV drivers that need to charge between trips. Under its plan, London would be the first city to go all-electric. It has said journeys across Britain would follow by 2030 ahead of a worldwide 2040 target. All newly registered minicabs in London have had to be electric or low-emission hybrid since 2023. Transport for London (TfL), which licenses Uber and levies the congestion charge, has said ending discounts for cleaner vehicles will 'maintain the effectiveness' of the fee, which was brought in to reduce traffic as well as improve air. It says that the ultra-low emissions zone (Ulez), an additional charge on polluting vehicles, has been an alternative way to tackle toxic air. Mr Khan's decision has been criticised by businesses and campaign groups. Last year Ocado and Openreach were among more than 40 businesses signing a letter warning of the 'astronomical cost' of ending the exemption for electric vans. The businesses said they had invested in electric vehicles, often taking on debt, believing they would benefit from the exemptions. Uber last year announced a tie-up with Octopus Energy to install home chargers that allow drivers to benefit from cheap electricity prices. However, many are unable to install them at home, meaning they would have to pay more expensive public charging rates. The cost of using a public charger is 60pc higher than fuelling a car with petrol, according to the RAC. Uber has said that its drivers in North America and Europe are embracing electric cars five times quicker than the average motorist. Last year it signed a tie-up with the Chinese EV maker BYD to put 100,000 of the company's cars on its service. A spokesman for Transport for London said: 'The Mayor and TfL have taken world-leading action to tackle the triple threats of air pollution, congestion and climate change. 'The congestion charge cleaner vehicle discount has been phased to reflect changes in vehicle technology since its introduction in 2019, following public consultation. It remains in place until the end of this year, when it will end in order to maintain the effectiveness of the congestion charge, which is in place to manage traffic and congestion in the heart of London. Through our policies, drivers will still be incentivised to switch to cleaner electric vehicles, rather than petrol and diesel.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
You can now ride in driverless Ubers in this U.S. city
Austin just took a big leap into the future of transportation. Uber has partnered with Waymo to bring fully autonomous rides to the Texas capital, giving riders the chance to experience a driverless trip in an all-electric Jaguar I-PACE. Uber users in Austin requesting an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric ride can now opt in for a potential match with a Waymo self-driving vehicle at no extra cost. Waymo currently operates in Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Miami, with plans to expand to Atlanta later this year. 'At Uber, we're reimagining how the world moves and building a future where autonomous vehicles and drivers work side by side to help make transportation more affordable, sustainable, and accessible for all,' Uber said in a recent statement. To increase your chances of being matched with a driverless vehicle, make sure you have the latest version of the Uber app and enable the autonomous vehicle (AV) preference in your account settings. Once matched, riders can unlock their Jaguar I-PACE through the Uber app, open the trunk, and begin the journey. The vehicle can be identified by its license plate and make/model. Similar to regular Uber rides, Waymo vehicles will wait several minutes for passengers to board. Each vehicle can accommodate up to four passengers, with seating available in any spot except the driver's seat. Currently, riders in Austin can travel within the city's 37-square-mile area. The program will expand its coverage area in the future. For any issues during the ride, Uber's 24/7 customer service is available both inside the vehicle and via the app. The post You can now ride in driverless Ubers in this U.S. city appeared first on The Manual.
